Rituximab in Moderate to Severe Ankylosing Spondylitis: An Open Label Clinical Trial

This study focuses on individuals with moderate to severe ankylosing spondylitis, a condition that hasn't responded well to conventional treatments like NSAIDs, DMARDs, and TNF alpha inhibitors. The research is based on the belief that autoimmunity plays a significant role in the development of ankylosing spondylitis. Although there's no direct evidence, it's suggested that the cartilage is the likely target of an autoimmune response in this condition. The study aims to understand if a specific immune response, possibly T cell mediated, against cartilage is relevant in the development of ankylosing spondylitis. The importance of this study lies in its potential to improve the understanding and treatment of this condition. The study involves the use of a drug called Rituximab (MabThera ®) in combination with NSAIDs and/or methotrexate. The main goal is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of this combination for patients who are new to TNFalpha inhibitors, as well as for those who have previously used TNFalpha inhibitors without success. This is an open-label clinical trial that will last for 48 weeks. The study's results will be measured at week 24 and until the end of the study, using a metric called ASAS 20. This metric helps to assess the improvement in symptoms of ankylosing spondylitis.